Just Before School Began
by AmandaN1992
Summary: Sakura and her family are heading to their summer home for a vacation before school starts up again. When they get there, Sakura meets one of her deceased mother's friends and her children, including Syaoran, the cute boy she can't seem to avoid.
1. They're Not Coming

Hello everybody! I'm SyaoranFan 001 and this is my first ever fanfiction! I'm so glad that I get to write a fanfiction today, instead of simply reading them. If you can believe it, I've been in to reading fanfictions for the past 3 years and only about a week ago got an account, but then I didn't know how to write a story, so maybe I'm just stupid!

I would like to apologize in advance for any typos and/or incorrect grammar. I really like English, I'm pretty good at it, and I used a spell checker, but it still may not be correct. I also put in lots of commas, in places they don't belong, so I'll try to avoid that, for your sakes!

By the way! I'm an S+S, E+T, R+T, and T+Y fan all the way!

(Syaoran/Sakura, Eriol/Tomoyo, Rika/Terada, and Touya/Yukito)

**_Disclaimer: All characters herein are not mine, though I wish that they were, and belong to CLAMP, along with the other respective owners!_**

Chapter 1: Why Aren't They Coming?

Sakura trudged slowly past her father and into the awaiting car; on the way, dropping her suitcase near the trunk and next to Touya, who grabbed it quickly and threw it into the car. She pulled herself into the car, and scrunched her nose up at the smell. Why did it always smell like fast food in this car? Nobody ever ate fast food in the Kinomoto household. It was always home cooked meals.

Touya finished putting all of the suitcases into the car and closed the trunk, making it give off a slight thumping sound as metal hit metal. Fijitaka climbed into the car, just as Touya was finishing up. It was sure to be a long day. What with Touya upset that Yukito wasn't coming and Sakura wasn't going to be any better. She had begged for Tomoyo to be allowed to come, and had finally gotten her wish, until she asked Tomoyo, and found that Tomoyo was leaving for London, England to visit with Eriol, while her mother went to numerous European meetings! Tomoyo said that it was because Eriol was ill, but he's a magician for God's sake! Can't he take care of himself? Did Tomoyo really want to help him get better rather than help her to have fun?

At first Sakura thought that Tomoyo was being selfish, until she realized that Eriol was alone, except for Nakuru and Spinel, and they really wouldn't be of much help. Eriol had broken it off with Kaho when they realized that they were just too far away from one another. Their interest varied significantly, and they were such different ages; they assumed it wouldn't work, and quit while they were ahead, so to speak.

Thinking about it now, Sakura realized how alike Tomoyo and Eriol were, and pondered about Tomoyo's ulterior motives for going to visit. Surely it wasn't just because he was sick, there HAD to be something else.

"Are we there yet?" at his answer, Sakura continued, "Daddy, I really don't want to be stuck in this car, with Touya, and without Tomoyo, for much longer."

"Monster, we haven't been on the road for five minutes and you're already complaining. Read one of the million books that you just HAD to bring on our back-to-school vacation! One week…" and as Touya continued to mumble, the volume continued to decrease, until his mouth was moving but he wasn't speaking.

Sakura's eye twitched at the mention of her nickname, the one that her brother had unceremoniously given her, and the one that she hated more than any other. He had called her a 'squirt', a 'nuisance', and a 'brat', and those were alright, but a 'monster'? She wasn't about to put up with that.

'Ha!' she thought as her fist made contact with the top of Touya's head. "I'm not a monster Touya, and if you weren't in the front seat, I'd have kicked you in the shins like normal. Can't you just leave me alone?"

Sakura glanced hopefully towards the clock, only to have her hopes dashed. Another two hours in this car. Great, just great.

Sakura's head hurt, and her neck hurt, and just about everywhere else hurt too. Sakura had finally fallen to sleep in the car, after about twenty minutes of arguments, and with nearly two hours left in the car ride from hell.

(Author's Note: If anyone here has ever fallen asleep in a car, or other moving vehicle, they should know that your neck tips to the side and you get terrible pains. That's why Sakura is so sore from falling asleep:)

Being a sixteen year old clad in a mini skirt and tight top had its advantages when you went to the beach. Guys have the habit of staring. A bad habit, but it isn't like they can help it, so Sakura did her best to make it worth while. She wasn't trashy, but she didn't mind showing off the body she had worked for. If it sufficiently covered everything, it was alright. Everyone who knows her also knows that she had been in plenty of sports, and that's part of the reason she was as good looking as she was. Other than her sports, she wasn't very active, because usually she turns out to be clumsy.

The Kinomoto summer house was just off of the beach, and a little ways into the surrounding foliage. Sakura was the last one into the house, seeing as she was the one flirting, sightseeing, and tripping over pebbles, trying to make it to the front door in one piece. Yes, Sakura was tripping over pebbles and the occasional rock with a 1-inch diameter.

"Damn! Why didn't I wear normal shoes? I shouldn't have worn high heels, they suck. This sucks. You know what? Life sucks. Why didn't I just stay home? I wouldn't have needed to go to the stupid beach and wear stupid heels, and flirt with stupid boys, who probably don't even know what 'happenstance' means. Why didn't Tomoyo come like she always does? Just because her mom owns one of the worlds largest toy companies, she thinks that she can tell people whatever she wants and get out of being a good friend…" and the rant continued, Sakura mumbling things about her annoying brother, her studious father, her dead mother, her other friends and those friends' obsessions, and eventually about her cat, Kero, being left home, when he should've been with them this whole time.

When Sakura finally reached the door to the summer home, she sat down to pull off her heels. When she had successfully wrestled the things off her feet and set them carefully in the shoe cubby, she reached for the door, hoping it was unlocked. It wasn't. Sighing, Sakura reached out to knock, loudly, so her family could hear it wherever they were in the house. She knocked only twice, before she heard an unfamiliar voice shout something along the lines of "hang on" and waited impatiently for the door to open.

However, she was truly dumbfounded when the door opened to reveal a young girl with sleek, straight black hair, in a high ponytail and bright crimson eyes. Cocking her head to the side, Sakura's eye twitched for what felt like to hundred time today, and she question the girl softly as to where she was from and what she was doing in her summer home.

(Author's Note: To those of you who don't know, the whole crimson eyes, that's normal. I didn't make it up! Thanks!)

"Oh!" her voice was soft, but Sakura felt the power underneath it, "My name! I'm Meilin, you must be Sakura? How nice to meet you! I love your name! My aunt used to be friends with your parents, but after your mom's death, we sort of filed away, I guess, but Aunty wanted to have a chat, so here we are! Didn't your dad tell you? We're staying here too!"

So, her name was Meilin. Not only had Meilin's aunt known Nadeshiko, Sakura's mother, but they had been friends. That was weird. This girl definitely wasn't Japenese.

"Hi, Meilin, I'm Sakura, and I'm pleased to meet you, too. When you say… When you say that you're staying here too, what exactly do you mean?" Sakura crossed her fingers silently behind her back.

"Your dad invited us to stay in the house with you! But my cousin isn't happy about that!" She giggled, and Sakura silently thought up every curse word she knew, "Just so you know, he isn't the happiest person in the world, but when you really get to know him, he can be really nice, he just doesn't like to show it."

"He?" Sakura gulped. She wasn't too great at communicating with the male half of the species. "What's his name?"

"Xiao-Lang, but that's the Chinese way to say it so, just call him Syaoran. And if he asks you to call him 'Li', just ignore him, and he'll eventually give up."

Hey! Sorry if you don't like the first chapter, but I needed to end it there! I want you to know that Syaoran isn't going to be totally mean to Sakura, he's going to be more laid back and quiet, but don't worry, he'll still suck at being nice to her in the beginning!

**_Quick note_**: I really don't mind if you flame me, so long as you give me a review.

Read and Review! Thanks for reading the first chapter of "Just Before School Began" and I hope you'll be back for the next chapter!


	2. Why Me?

Hello everybody! I'm back for chapter 2! I hope you enjoyed chapter 1, but I really don't know, because I haven't posted it yet, since my computer isn't letting me log on to the internet! Stupid thing! beats computer monitor with a baseball batmonitor is now smoking and in bits and pieces Shoot! Now I've got another problem! Oh well, at least when I do post it, you'll get a faster update! YEAH! GO UPDATES!

I would like you all to know that the last chapter was very random-rambling-y so I want you to know that I apologize and that it won't be that way in the next ones, because Sakura will get over Tomoyo not coming and having worn high heeled shoes! But she might ramble about Syaoran, but we don't mind her doing that, now do we gets murderous look in eyes and pulls out an axe ?

Chapter 2: Who Is He, Again?

Sakura followed Meilin back into the living room to find it completely full of people. Her dad was sitting in the large armchair and her brother stood behind him, his arms resting on the chair back. On the couch, across the room, sat a regal looking woman with long, straight black hair and a face that appeared to be that of a 20 year old. On her sides sat 4 girls, 2 on each side, and all with light, honey-brown hair. On her left sat a girl in azure and a girl in jade, and on her right sat a girl in scarlet, and a girl in ginger.

Judging by the ages of the women, Sakura guessed that the woman with the long black hair must be the 'Aunty' that Meilin mentioned. The girls, she assumed, must be quadruplets, because aside from their hairstyles, clothes, and makeup, the girls were all identical. Meilin dragged Sakura over to the end of the couch, next to the girl in azure, and introduced her to everyone in order from closest to her, to farthest from her. In azure was Sheifa, in jade, Fanran, and in the middle was 'Aunty Yelan', in scarlet Feimei, and finally in ginger was Fuutie.

Meilin turned back to Sakura and told her that the boy behind her was Xiao-Lang, and said, as she had at the door, that Sakura should call him Syaoran. Sakura nodded, and then froze. There was a boy behind her? Meilin had said something about a boy, but with all of the other people, she had totally forgotten.

Turning slowly, Sakura was shocked to see a young man, about her age, looking right at her, frowning the whole time. He looked like his sisters, with messy chocolate colored locks and bright tawny colored eyes. Sakura had reason to wonder if he had even bothered to comb his hair this morning. What interested her was the clarity of his skin, and it made her wonder whether or not he had ever had acne, or if he just used meds. to clear it all up. When she was done gawking at him, she finally found her manners and smiled warmly at him, hoping he would smile at her and be more friendly than Meilin had said he was, because she certainly didn't know him all too well.

Perhaps smiling wasn't the best thing to do. The boy, Syaoran, seemed to frown even more, if possible, then his eyes narrowed and Sakura found that she was being glowered at.

'He's glaring at me," Sakura gaped, 'How dare he! I haven't done anything to him, and he's already being cruel! Fine, I'll be nice when dad, and Mrs. Li are looking, and I'll just be as mean as he is to me when they aren't. Wow, he has really cool eyes, I wonder if they're naturally that color. Maybe they're contacts? Why would he be wearing contacts? Oh. Maybe he needs help to see. Then that means he has glasses! I can call him four-eyes! Awesome! I've already got a nickname for Mr. Grumpy!'

Sakura's mood went from bad, to worse in the course of a minute and then from worst to normal in about 30 seconds. 'Not bad, Sakura, not bad,' Maybe this trip would turn out to be alright, so long as she could avoid him for the rest of it.

_**SAKURA'S P.O.V.**_

This totally sucked! Let me tell you! I didn't feel up to hiking, with my dad, Yelan, Meilin, and those 4 girls who pinch your cheeks and tell you you're really cute. Whose name did I leave out of that list?

Yeah, him, Syaoran, Xiao-Lang, Li, whatever you want to call him! He said he didn't want to go. I didn't hear him say it, but Meilin said Syaoran wasn't the outdoorsy type. Pish-posh! He was wearing a shirt with a design that included trees! Trees! And yeah, so below the trees there was this guy shooting a girl with a bow and arrows, but still! It involved trees.

Did I mention that the guy is totally creepy? Yeah, major creep! He wears all black. I'm not saying that that's a bad thing, but who wears all black, in the middle of the summer, to a summer home, near the beach? Not only is it all black, but he's wearing jeans, and a long sleeved shirt! Pants and a long-sleeved shirt! Weirdo!

I walked into his room to tell them that they had all left, and he was unpacking. Everything was black! His boxers were black, for God's sake! His shoes were all black converse high-tops (A.N. yay! Go converse!). Nothing against converse, I actually like converse, but how many pairs did he need for a week at the summer house? He had a pair with white stitching, a pair with red stitching, and a pair with a pin-stripe design, and the ones he was wearing were black with black stitching! I mean I only brought…9 pairs of shoes. Okay, so that was more than he brought, but I'm a girl, I'm allowed to have lots of shoes!

When he noticed me, I felt myself turn a bright crimson and frowned. Why didn't I just say 'they're gone, want to get something to eat'? Because Syaoran Li, being Syaoran Li, he probably would have thought that I was asking him out on a date and glared at me again. Trust me when I say, I really don't want to go on a date with him. I'd probably look at him, and spill my drink, and he'd laugh and call me a ditz! And I'd end up mad and dump his drink over him, and, yeah, an all-out food fight would ensue. Not my idea of an interesting evening.

So, instead, I asked the simplest question I could think of, "Are you hungry?"

I think I actually shocked him! I'm in the lead! Yay! Wait, when did this become a game, again? Oh yeah, when he glared at me! Well, 1-0 Sakura leading!

"If I ate your cooking, I'm certain I wouldn't live to tell you how badly it tasted,"

1-1, damn, we're even now.

"If you want to comment on how bad my food tastes, you have to try it first, before it's an insult, otherwise, it won't matter, because you really don't know. Besides, who said I was cooking? I was thinking more along the lines of take-out."

Yeah, real smart, Sakura, 'Yeah, bring it to that one house in the middle of nowhere in the trees, no not there, it's near that one building,' take-out in the middle of the forest wouldn't do us any good. The delivery person wouldn't know how to get to us.

"I wasn't hungry to begin with,"

"Well, you know what? I'm hungry, so I'm going to make pasta, because pasta tastes good, and it's easy to make, and I can eat it all by myself, so you don't need any," Yeah, Sakura, let's ramble to the hot gothic guy, that's so smart, he'll probably pull out a chainsaw from his bag and chop you into little slices and try to eat you raw. Eww. That's SO wrong!

_**SYAORAN'S P.O.V.**_

I was unpacking my bag when she came upstairs, and stared accusingly at my shoes. I only brought 4 pairs, it's not like I brought 10 or something. I just like a variety of choices. We fought for a while over what we wanted to do about dinner, and she said she could get take-out, but that was probably one of the dumbest things that she could have said, how the hell would a delivery person find us all the way in here?

I lied when I said that I wasn't hungry. I hadn't had anything to eat in hours, and I really wanted to cook so that I knew what I was eating was edible, but she chose to cook herself pasta, and I refuse to be in the same room as her for as long as it would take us to cook and eat the meal, so I'll stay up here, then I'll make something later, if I survive that long.

She had finally decided to leave me alone, so now I felt a little better. It really sucked that this brainless door didn't have a stupid lock on it. Now I would be totally self-conscious about everything and it would probably make me do weird things, like reading or writing, and listening to music that didn't make me want to air-guitar.

I half walked and half jogged down to the kitchen. My plan of waiting for her to leaving until I ate would be kept up later, because if I didn't eat anything now I would definitely starve myself. I really needed a drink too. Let's hope that they have my favorite drink, and lots of it, because I really only like to drink that one thing. Partly because it tastes good and partly because when I was little my mother made me drink milk, but we eventually compromised and then it was chocolate milk. So now all that I like to drink is chocolate milk, but that's alright. People won't tease me because they know who I am and don't want any trouble. And, NO, I'm not a thug who picks fights. The Li family is really important, especially in China.

Entering the kitchen I saw a sight almost as scary as Meilin when she and her boyfriend got into a fight. That girl was bent over trying to reach something in a lower cupboard. She stood back up, while I stood still in the doorway and waited for her to turn around. God, could her skirt get any shorter? I highly doubt it!

When she didn't turn around, I worried, and when she rubbed her hands to her eyes I started to wonder if maybe she was crying, but when she finally turned around I realized it was because she must have gotten her face wet, and she was trying, unsuccessfully, to wipe away her runny mascara. Wow, women have odd hobbies. What is it with make-up? Why don't we all just run naked and free of make-up? I meant naked as in having not put on make-up! Pervert! Don't even think of her naked! Wrong, Syaoran, wrong!

I think I scared her, she wasn't really expecting to see me, and she jumped slightly. I almost laughed at the expression on her face, it looked so funny, but I can't laugh. It would be immature and rude and it would give away my cover as 'that Li kid who has no emotions besides anger and boredom'. I stood staring at her, and when neither of us said anything, she turned back around. I still stared, but felt I should say something or get my food and milk and leave. I chose the second one.

I started over to the refrigerator, and of course, as fate would have it, I would need to pass her to get there, but when I realized she was draining the noodles in the strainer over the sink, I heard my stomach growl, and I suppose so did she. She spun around so fast that the noodles sloshed out of the strainer and fell 'plunk' right on top of my converse. Damn! I just bought this pair too. It took me a minute, but I realized how close we were and receded, stepping on the noodles as I moved, and squashing them onto the floor even more thoroughly. I kept staring at her and she just stared back at me, and eventually she said something along the lines of "I'm sorry," but it was hard to tell, since she half mumbled and half sighed the words.

Ah, well, at least I got my milk before shaking the noodles off of my shoe and carrying my glass back up the stairs, leaving one very flushed and embarrassed girl behind to cook her own food.

Now, about that chocolate milk!

Hello, everybody! Hope you enjoyed chapter 2 of JUST BEFORE SCHOOL BEGAN, and I would appreciate it if you reviewed, flame me if you want, but please review!

Syaoran and Sakura Forever!


	3. Ramblings of an Annoyed Bunch

Hello, hello, hello! I'm back! My birthday party is coming up, so forgive me if the update is a little late, I was in such a panic! Anyways, I know I don't like to read author's notes, so on with the story!

I would, quickly, like to thank everybody who reviewed for the first two chapters, I really appreciate it, and I'd also like to thank everybody who simply read the damn thing! My love goes to you all, as I would say, as a reviewer/reader! Thanks for the help!

READ THIS NO MATTER WHAT!

In the first chapter, I mentioned Eriol, Nakuru, Spinel, and Kaho, but this isn't a magic using fic. Eriol is a normal teen, with unusually busy, traveling parents, and Spinel is his cat, Kaho was a normal human girlfriend, and Nakuru is his nanny. Imagine that, Nakuru, a nanny!

READ ON, FANFICTION JUNKIES, READ ON

CHAPTER 3: Ramblings

**SAKURA'S P.O.V.**

Oh, I feel like such a total ditz! I spilled noodles on him, I mean, sure it was his fault, but still! Noodles! Now what am I going to eat, I refuse to eat those! And he didn't even stop to say that he was sorry that he scared me, that idiot! Blubbering, selfish, no-good, smelly, fart-faced, idiot! Ruined my food!

**SYAORAN'S P.O.V. **

Well, hopefully she feels like an idiot. She stained my new shoes! The black converse with the black stitching! I bought a new pair, because the old ones were really dirty, and look at them now; these are worse off than the first pair. I should make her buy me new ones. With her money, too, not her family's money. She is such an idiot. A ditz, that's what she is, a ditz. A selfish one, and a random talker, but still a ditz. I bet she has no friends. I bet she's a crazy cat lady, with a hundred cats, and they all live in her room, and she never cleans up after them, and she never bathes them, and she knows all of their names by heart, and she doesn't even bother to call them that, she just says the first letter of their names, and they automatically come to her!

Oh, my dear God, save me! I hate cats. My grandma used to have cats, only two, but she still had them. They were the nastiest things, yeah, so they don't bark like dogs, and they aren't slimy, scaly, or slithering, but they are so mean! Well, hers were. Every time I walked past them, they hissed, made their hair stand on end, and decided that if I didn't feed them, they would just maul me. And they did. I have scars.

Not the most rational of fears, but hey, at least I'm not like my friend Yamazaki. He's afraid of dictionaries. And almanacs, and encyclopedias, and thesauruses, but I suppose that's just because they're factual. He likes stories, but only if they aren't real, so maybe to him, being afraid of cats is alright! Maybe.

**NORMAL P.O.V.**

While Sakura and Syaoran imagined life without food, and life with cats, respectively, the rest of the Kinomoto family and the Li women were out on a peaceful walk.

Well, peaceful for them, at least.

"I'm Sheifa, I like to read, and I like to write, and oh! Hey, look, it's a bunny!"

"I'm Meilin, nice to meet you, wow, you're tall! I have a friend…."

"Okay, so she said yes, and then he said no, but then that other guy said yes …"

"I like purple, and, like, I love pink, and I, like, adore, blue, and green …"

"Yeah, so I was reading this book, and this girl said she loved him, but he said…"

"Girls, please, calm yourselves; this is supposed to be relaxing,"

"Yeah, yeah. Anyways, like I was saying…"

"He didn't!"

"Your girls are so very energetic, Yelan. Sakura is energetic, but even she couldn't compare to this! I hope that, for your sake your son isn't nearly so hyper."

"Oh, he isn't hardly-"

"WOULD YOU PEOPLE SHUT UP ALREADY?"

"Touya! Please, they were just talking."

"Oh, Touya, you're feeling left out aren't you? We'll all talk to you for a little while, we don't mind! What do you like to do? Do you like play dress-up! Oh! We play dress-up ALL the time! You should join us the next time. I do make-up, Sheifa does the hair, Fanran does the clothes and shoes, and Feimei does jewelry and accessories. You could be the prince, and we could be the princesses (A.N. Mwa ha ha ha ha!) and you could come to save us-"

"We're back at the house, girls, please, why don't you all go get ready for bed, it's nearly nine-thirty," Yelans, quiet, but stern voice stopped the ramble, for which Touya was grateful.

"Mother, may we please stay up, for just a little longer? We must play dress-up with Prince Touya"

Touya sighed and had to practically pry the girls' hands off of him, just to get inside. " I don't mean to be rude, but I don't play dress-up, and I don't want really like people who talk a lot, so maybe I should just go to bed for the rest of this trip." Touya trudged inside, praying that he would make it to the top of the stairs, at least, before his father reprimanded him.

He didn't.

"Touya, just for that, you aren't to be in your room unless you're sleeping, changing you clothes, or grabbing something to do, like a frisbe, or a football,"

"Dad, please, I'm nearly out of college, I don't play dress-up, and I don't like loud people,"

"Hey!" all four girls piped in, "we aren't loud, you're just not used to normal voices, all you Kinomotos just talk too quietly,"

"Girls, as your mother, I'm telling you to take it back,"

"Mother! He called us loud,"

"YOU ARE LOUD!"

Everybody's head whipped around to the top of the stairs to stare at a glowering Syaoran, behind him, a wide-eyed Sakura peered down bewildered.

"Don't you ever shut up? If I've said it once, I've said it a million times, you're my sisters, and I love you, but there are times when your talking is louder than the loudest I can play my stereo, and trust me when I say that that's pretty damn loud,"

Sakura turned to Touya and just continued to stare bewildered until, finally coming to her senses, she kicked Syaoran in the back of the knee and skipped merrily back to her room at the end of the hall.

Syaoran fell to his knees, and grabbed the railing, only barely managing not to fall down the stairs like a bowling ball heading towards the pins. The pins being the people at the bottom.

Everyone stared bewildered at the two, then shrugged and left, all of them heading off to different rooms to do different things, as if nothing had ever happened at all. And Syaoran still hadn't stood back up yet.

Hey everybody, this chapter, I apologize, is random and pointless, but hopefully you don't mind. I need to get off the computer in a while and this is the best it's going to get, so please review! Flames welcome, but not really appreciated. I love you guys!


	4. Syaoran a Medium, Sakura the Possessed

Hey everybody! It's the weekend-and you know what that means! I get time to write! I'm actually quite lucky that the 'team' that I'm on is a team that thinks that weekends are to relax and have fun, so here I am! Having fun!

I mowed our backyard yesterday, but forgot to take my allergy meds. so now I'm all tired and my nose is stuffy and my head hurts and my stomach hurts, but that's alright, because I'm here now, listening to My Chemical Romance and typing what would be chapter 4 if I hadn't used that for an author's note.

Anyways: I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT I HAVE NO REAL IDEA WHERE THIS IS GOING, SO IF YOU KNOW OF SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK WOULD GO, REVIEW IT TO ME AND I WILL CONSIDER TYPING IT UP! NO DEATH, I MEAN REALLY, DEATH IS FOR OLD PEOPLE AND SERIAL KILLERS. MY CHARACTERS WILL NOT DIE! I WON'T WRITE DEATH SCENES.

**SAKURA'S P.O.V.**

My foot hurt. Badly, I might add. What are his legs made of? Steel? No-too obvious. Metal? Yeah, metal will work.

He hadn't even come in to complain yet. I was surprised he didn't swear. He really CAN hold his tongue when his mother is in the room. I can't say I do the same with my dad. I swore a lot in middle school, but I'm starting to break the habit. A few slip out here and there, but trust me. My language is way better than it was back then.

I got this flyer today. Not that I told anyone. I don't want anyone to come. A boy on the beach handed it to me. It was red paper. Blood red with black print. There'll be a beach party the night after tomorrow. I SO want to go. I mean, what else am I supposed to do? And it's a vacation, I should be having fun.

I'm definitely going. I've completely made up my mind.

I'm GOING to that beach party.

CHAPTER 4(or5): Syaoran is a medium: Sakura is possessed

**SYAORAN'S P.O.V.**

That brat is totally dead. When I find her she won't be nearly so happy. I almost swore when she kicked me, but then remembered what mother told me the last time I swore in the presence of a 'lady'.

And I quote: "Xiao-Lang, how dare you! Do you know how unintelligible you sound when you swear? And in front of a lady too, how rude. A lady's ears are precious, as is all of her. You can't just abuse that. What was it your father used to say? What was it Xiao-Lang? I know you know it. Just tell me. It was 'think before you do'. Are you following that statement? NO! Heaven forbid you do something respectable. Your clothes even are so…."

I sat through an entire hour of that. But I'll stop there. For your sakes. My knee hurts. Really badly. Like I've got a baseball-sized bruise right there. And the back of my knee too, that is totally against all rules in any fairly played game.

Then again, who said we were going to play fair?

Oh, right. Nobody did.

Just my luck.

**Touya's P.O.V.**

Thank God that those girls are gone!

I'm free! I'm free!

I'm going to bed. I think that my mind was lost somewhere along the hiking trail, but I'll keep quiet. If dad heard me say that he's smile and tell me I wasn't allowed to use the car. That would be a problem. I've got a motorcycle, but do you know how utterly cold that is in the winter? BRR!

I listened, leaning against the inside of my door, for the four maniacal sisters to head to their rooms. The hallway was silent. That was impossible. How could they be quiet? Maybe they liked me? If that's the only reason, all I've got to do is keep up the act and pretend that I can't stand them. Really I can, but I do lose my temper occasionally.

Like on the trail. I was trying to come up with a way to kill the brat when we got back. I was pretty sure that he would've tried SOMETHING on the kaijuu. Most boys that age would have.

But those voices. How can their mother stand it? Second after second. Minute after minute. Hour after hour. Day after day. Week after week. Month after month. Year after year. Decade after decade. Century after- oh wait. They're not THAT old. Ha.

The trail ended right next to the house, and I was more anxious than you could've imagined. I couldn't wait to kill the brat as soon as humanly possible. I just hoped he wasn't like his sisters.

He isn't.

I can tell just by the way that he talks. He's uncomfortable in his own skin. He doesn't use his voice much. That's why when he did speak it was somewhat raspier than it should have been. Almost like in that one band. Oh, what's the name? Sakura likes them. (A.N. my chemical romance roxx my soxx!)

What surprised me most? Sakura had simply stood there gazing at the brat. Like he was ripe fruit of something. What was up with that? She never did that. I mean, yeah, eventually she DID kick him, but really! What took her so long? It was like she was possessed.

Oh my dear Lord. The boy's a medium. He talks to ghosts and he ended up inviting some to come and keep him company. Oh, no, no, no, no, no. This can't be happening. Sakura's possessed. By an evil spirit. The brat will seduce her and the ghost will make them-

END TRANSMISSION!

Is Syao-Syao really a medium? Is Kura-Kura really possessed by an evil spirit? Who knows? (HA! I KNOW! DOOM ON YOU! MWA HA HA HA HA HA HA)

So, what do you think?

Good, bad, alright, no comment… Doesn't matter to me, I just want you to review. I like reviews and in the first chapter I got like 10 reviews, and in the second, I only got like 8, then 4, and now on the last one I only got like 2, even though it was an author's note, but still, the numbers continue to decrease. It's scaring me!

Please review. I promise that I'll update sooner if you do.


	5. Of Thoughts and Laughter

Hey guys!!! I'm in a good mood, and tired of just reading all these fanfictions about Valentines Day, so I'm actually going to try to update this THING!!!

I've been thinking about how my story was going this whole time and I think I've got the basics down, but I don't know just how long it'll take me, I'm kind of slow…

As my Spanish teacher would say, "Claudia, didn't you do your homework?"

"No," even though I always do,

"Claudia, it isn't that hard to do your tarea,"

"I know but I'm so busy, and tired, and I like to read, and…"

"I don't care,"

She's actually really nice, believe it or not, and she actually taught one of my other teachers Spanish, and now he teaches gym, he's like, 36 or something. Wow, how old does that make her??

My great-grandma did end up dead, but she was in so much pain, I'm actually glad, and she died while using pain medicine, so she was totally knocked out and didn't feel really sick and hurt. The hard thing was watching all my relatives. The educated ones, like 6 of all of them, were crying, and the other 94 were asking if they could go drink some beer or grab a smoke real quick. It was really pathetic.

So anyways, I'll try to have this up by Thanksgiving, but if not, it'll be up soon after! You just never know with my teachers. I will probably have hours of homework tomorrow because we've got forever to do it, even though I don't have any tonight.

I want to kiss you and hug you and…get your mind out of the gutter, gosh; people nowadays…can't say anything around them.

CHAPTER 5: ACCUSATIONS

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**Touya's P.O.V.**

My eyelids felt like lead, and I felt like leaving them closed, but I couldn't. Even I knew what to do to a ghost when you wanted it gone.

Perform an exorcism.

The downfall to my plan was that I didn't know how to exorcise anything…let alone a possessive demon and its perverted master.

I would need to stay in my room for awhile…wait…I can't…dad said so. But I can't be near those...cough-things-cough…they would make me dress up with them and parade around in mini-skirts and halter-tops. Don't even bother asking how I know what a halter-top is…you don't want to know.

But how would I corner the brat? Yeah, sure, so he was always in his room, but someone was always going from room to room and down the hall. I would never make it into his room unnoticed. The girls would find me, and they would…they would…ah! I can't even think about what they would do, I mean sure, a skirt and shirt aren't too bad, I could live through that, but what if they did my hair and make-up too??? That would be DEATH!!!

I would need something to distract them.

If only Kero was here. They would love the cat, they'd probably think that he was adorable and end up chasing him up a tree, and then they'd worry that he couldn't get down, and Sakura would be helping, so it'd just be me and the brat. That'd be SO perfect.

So why, exactly, did I tell dad that I really didn't think the cat would appreciate being here, in the heat, and sand, and junk?

Who know? I never really did make any sense; people are always telling me that.

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Syaoran's P.O.V.**

I woke with a start and found that I had almost fallen off my bed. Stupid lug. He had kept me awake all night. He must've been having really weird, outrageous dreams, because he kept laughing all night. Like not normal laughter, but, like, insane, deranged person…belongs to someone in an insane asylum kind of laugh. You know…no?

Like: Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Mwa ha ha ha ha then a cough and it continued. It was like, really weird. Like he was dreaming of himself as a murdered or something. And somebody he really hated was the victim, the prey.

It took all of my strength, not really but figuratively, to pull myself from my bed. I was SO tired.

I hobbled, half-awake, to my door, turned on the light, and clenched my eyes shut as pain flooded through me, white, hot, liquid-metal pain that seared what I assumed must be my optic nerve. Funny I still remember all that junk from seventh-grade science class; especially with the evil teacher that I had then.

I shivered. I didn't want to think about that.

I finally managed to open my eyes and look around my room. It was still a mess, since I just unpacked half of my stuff, and threw the other stuff on the floor to make it feel like my room back home. The thing I really hadn't wanted to see was the guitar case on the floor, near the desk. My band was taking a break from gigs, until Hideki, Meilin's boyfriend, decided to tell us, just two days ago, that we had a gig here in like, 4 or 5 days. Not that it was a real problem, it just wasn't expected. And somewhat unwanted and unlooked-forward to.

Someone knocked on my door, and I spun around to open it.

Allow me to rephrase that.

SomeTHING knocked on my door, and I spun around to open it.

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Sakura's P.O.V.**

Why did I have to be the one to tell Syaoran that breakfast was ready? Would he do the same for me?

Nope, definitely not, so how come me?

Because I was 'closest to his own age' my dad had said. What did that have to do with anything? I mean, really, I doubt he'll appreciate it. He definitely won't say thanks.

My feet trampled down the carpet where I walked and made barely-audible scuffles. I rounded the corner and stopped dead.

Touya sat on the ground, in front of the door I had just been heading towards, with a cup connected to his ear, and against the door, and a bandana around his face. It was…somewhat pathetic actually. What did he plan to over-hear? Syaoran masturbating?

EEWWWWW!!! Don't want to think about that. Cute guys shouldn't masturbate. Nobody should masturbate, in my honest observation, it was gross, and disgusting, and gross, and vile, and gross, and weird, and gross, and…well…it was gross.

I sneaked up next to Touya, who was listening so intently that he must not have noticed me, and tapped him lightly on the top of his head.

He jumped. Like, REALLY jumped.

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Touya's P.O.V.**

I was listening as well as I could with a cup, so what do you think my lovely little monster does?

Scares the living shit out of me, that's what!

I suppose I'm lucky that it was her, instead of dad, or Mrs. Li, because then I would've been toast. Burnt toast, none the less.

I must've jumped more than I thought I had, because all of a sudden she broke into laughter. The kind of laughter that is so hard it doesn't even make a sound, your body just shakes. She must've laughed for a good minute before she could speak, and guess what the monster said…Guess!

"Touya," she said, "I don't care that you're a homosexual, I think it's nice, but do you really think that he's your type, I don't want you in a relationship that you won't be happy with ten years from now."

Monster! MOnster! MONster! MONSter! MONSTer! MONSTEr! MONSTER!!!

Damn her, she knows I like Yukito! Why the hell would I like the brat?? She's mocking me like I'M the younger sibling instead of her. Snot-nosed little SHIT!

I sneaked away without a word, what could I have said anyways, and continued to the breakfast I'd smelt since even before I'd woken up. Hopefully the…girls…weren't morning people and wouldn't be up for another few hours…I doubt it. Damn.

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Syaoran's P.O.V.**

UUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHH……………..Yay?

The girl stood in front of my door, with her hands on her hips and her lips pursed. Geez, how did she manage to get up so early, her father had told my mother -who told Fuutie, who told Fanran, who told Sheifa, who, of course, told Feimei, who just HAD to tell me- that she wasn't the type of person who liked mornings, but she seemed pretty CHIPPER to me!!!

"Breakfast," she practically growled.

"I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. Nobody had ever talked to me like that. My sisters were to happy-go-lucky, my mom was just never very talkative, my dad wasn't around anymore, and the kids at my school only talked nicely to me for money, but they still never were really, really rude. That could've made me not like them, and then of course, I wouldn't tell them they should be my 'best friend' and that we should go invest all of our money in the stock market.

Well, all except for my cousin, as much as I hated to admit that he was my cousin, Eriol Hirigazawa. He'd been living in England for a few years now and I didn't see him much, unless I had to go to London for a gig or something, then I'd stop by.

We don't really hate each other, we just aren't the best friends, he's so happy, and it annoys the hell out of me!

She was gone by the time my head cleared.

I closed my door, dressed and headed downstairs.

Well, this'll be interesting…


	6. Foodfight!

Hello! It's me again, here with what I hope will be a good update but probably won't be, because I've waited so long to update that I had to read my own story again to remember what the darn thing is about! But I've got it now and nothing will stop me!!!

I turned in my band practice log…I doubt you get what I'm talking about, but it's where we record how long we practice our band instrument and then, depending on how long we practiced, we get a letter grade, that grade is only 25 of our total grade but it can still make a really big difference. Last quarter I ended with a B+ in band and this quarter I've got and A!!! I'm really happy!

And, as if the grade wasn't enough, the guy I like knows I like him, don't ask me who told him, I've got no idea, but he's actually talking to me more and he smiles at me and laughs with me/at me (I'm clumsy) and he keeps staring at me! The only problem? My best friend likes him too, but it's funny! The guy I liked for forever, that I finally gave up on has decided to be nice to me and my friends now, and she's admitted to kind of liking him, so it's like a total switch of crushes…anyways, a girl can hope!!!

I'm taking computer application classes for the rest of the year, but I won't be able to update anything at school because they didn't just block inappropriate stories, they blocked the whole darn site! It stinks too, because I'm a pretty fast typist and I get done way earlier than anybody else…shucks! Oh well, I love you guys, review if you've got the time. If not, well, thanks for reading…it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside!!!

Chapter 6: Foodfight!!!

**Syaoran's P.O.V.**

I had gone to see that movie, the one with all the kids and the food fight, a while ago with Meilin, not that I wanted to go, but if I hadn't I would've been grounded without any instruments, books, internet, or pencils and paper (I like doodling a lot)! Torture, I'm telling you, torture!!!

Not only that, but I probably would've ended up with a bunch of nail marks in my arms and chest from Meilin trying to force (and drag) me there.

I had no idea when I walked into the kitchen that our breakfast would end up splattered against the walls, the floor and my face.

The girl was sitting on one side of the table in front of a huge plate of pancakes. Considering how thin and frail she looked I doubted she could eat two of them! She glanced at me as I stalked in, but didn't seem to want to be bothered to say or do anything to acknowledge my presence to the other scavengers.

The table looked like a smorgasbord, with just about everything you could imagine on plates and in bowls. There must've been five or six different types of fruit and three or four main courses. The pancakes seemed to be a favorite, as did the waffles and much of the bacon was gone, but the rest seemed to be a favorite of only a few people here and there.

I hated breakfast; it just made me feel like crawling back into bed and sleeping the rest of the day away. I usually didn't eat any, I just couldn't stand it! Besides, saying I wasn't hungry got me out of having to sit at a table with my family for a good half hour.

I slumped down into my chair, the only open one since I was the last one to the table. Well that wasn't too bad; I was stuck in between Mr. Kinomoto and Meilin so I supposed I could live through it.

Until I glanced up.

Why did my seat have to be the seat straight across from HER? I would've rather looked at Touya for heaven's sake, but don't you ever tell anyone that, I'd be a bloody pulp if he or his sister heard and mother would make my stay a living hell.

I grabbed some bacon and a waffle and figured I wouldn't be able to eat anything more than that. I saw that Sakura was just finishing her first pancake and she had a bit of her hair in her syrup. It was almost comical, how she tried to get it out without getting her hands sticky. And the face she made could've made just about any guy burst out laughing. I, however, knew that laughing hysterically, laughing at all, would've made me seem odd to everybody, I hadn't really laughed in ages, years, I might end up some old guy who hadn't laughed since he was, like, five or six years old. That's when my dad had died.

He'd been hurt, badly; gun wound. Not everybody likes the fact that the Li clan has money. Some guy decided it'd be better for everybody, even my family, if he died. Truth be told, I guess I'm lucky to be alive, since I AM his son, but maybe my age had something to do with it. Maybe he just couldn't shoot a child. Maybe he figured that it would be painful even for him, maybe he had kids. They'd be grown by now, but I bet you anything that he wouldn't have been able to keep going if his kid had been shot.

**Sakura's P.O.V. **

God, he's a freak. Did he have to sit across from me? Did he have to be so damn thoughtful? And why the hell did he have to look good when he WAS being thoughtful. It's a pity I left Kero at home, I could've let Kero loose on him.

I really want to be friends with people, I love people and people always seemed to love me! Why couldn't he just be nice? Like Eriol, he's always been nice and quiet and polite. Now that's proof that gentlemen do still exist. You just have to look really hard. Like, really, really, really, really, REALLY (times like a million) hard.

I almost wished I was in England with Tomoyo and Eriol. Yeah, Nakuru and Spinel scared the hell out of me, but Syaoran, as cute and attractive as he may be on the outside, he most certainly wasn't someone I wanted to see the heart of. I bet he's got, like, a black hole for a heart or something.

I finished with my first pancake and then found that a piece of my hair was stuck in the syrup. I silently groaned, why me? What had I done to deserve this? I only kicked him once and the noodles were a total accident! I swear that they were an accident!

I tried to fish my hair back without touching it. I hated the feel of syrup on my skin; it just made me feel really dirty and gross. I eventually just had to give up and grab the darn thing, but by then I was glad to see that Syaoran was so lost in thought that he didn't even notice my act of indecency and disgusting forwardness. Why was I even trying to look good this trip? There really wasn't anybody to look good for, but then again, maybe I was just really attractive deep down…Ha! As if!

**Touya's P.O.V.**

Damn that kid, sitting across from my sister! I hope he chokes on his food and we need to call an ambulance. Oh, wait, that would save him…Oh! I could volunteer to call but not really call, just pretend, and then the ambulance wouldn't come and he could suffocate to death. How cool would that be?

**Meilin's P.O.V.**

I was glad that Syaoran sat next to me. I had felt that we'd been drifting apart as the years went by, but I did hope that this trip might allow us to rekindle some of that old friendship and we wouldn't have to be strangers around each other anymore.

I almost shot my orange juice through my nose when he went into thoughtful mode. He's so cute like that!!! I mean, yeah, I've got a boyfriend, and he's probably never going to be as cute as Syaoran, but Hideki is totally in love with me and I couldn't hope for anything more. I deserved someone who loved me to death; everybody deserved that much at least, if not more than that!

**Fujitaka's P.O.V.**

I knew that the two of them wouldn't get along.

Perhaps it was too much to think that they could fall in love. They were perfect for each other, though I doubt the children had noticed. I knew for certain that Yelan had noticed; she was always into romance, that's why Nadeshiko and she had gotten along so well, they were always dreaming about true love.

I also knew that the breakfast wasn't going to end peacefully. I knew SOMETHING was bound to happen that would cause an uproar. Perhaps something between Sakura and Touya; or Touya and Syaoran; or Touya and Yelan's girls. Whatever happened, I assumed it would involve Touya. He was very protective over Sakura; it was cute, but I knew she didn't like it. They tended to get into fights a lot.

The one thing I really hadn't expected was that the fight would be between everybody. I also didn't think it'd happen in my wildest dreams. Let's just say that it was very unexpected.

**Narrator's P.O.V.**

The table was so crowded it was miracle everyone's legs could find room under it. The situation almost made Sakura glad that Tomoyo and Yukito hadn't come.

It happened quickly, by accident, when Meilin's foot hit Sakura in the knee. Meilin, thinking it had been the table's stand, didn't bother apologizing, and Sakura just assumed it had been Syaoran's doing and he had meant to hurt her.

When Syaoran said nothing, however, Sakura's anger flared and she kicked really hard. Syaoran flinched and gasped a bit, but otherwise, no one else at the table knew anything was happening between the two and under the table.

**Syaoran's P.O.V.**

The minute I felt the pain in my shin I knew it was her doing. I hadn't even done anything to her; she was the dolt!

My mind stopped working and I simply began to act on instinct. Heck, you can't be mad at me, I would've never kicked her if she hadn't started it; my life practically depended on my fighting back.

I stuck my foot out and kicked her as gently as I could to still get my point across. I found out that that was a huge mistake when she suddenly gasped really loudly and turned bright red. Oh, yeah, she was in a skirt…Oops! Well, wish me luck.

**Sakura's P.O.V.**

He kicked me! He honestly kicked me! Not only did he kick me, but his foot lifted up my skirt too! He's a pervert, I knew it, he's a pervert and he's going to rape me!

Oh, it's on now!

My hand found the container of apple juice and my other hand found the cap. I twisted it off like I was going to pour myself some and at the last second…Splash!

The juice was all over Meilin. Uh-oh…I missed! Meilin sat there shocked for a minute, as did everybody else, until Syaoran carefully grabbed some of the yogurt onto his spoon and sent it hurling at me!The vanilla desert hit me right on my neck. Damn, he's got good aim! It took me a minute to figure out just what he was doing, but when I did get it, I was extremely thankful.

He was starting a food fight (with me, I guess) so that I wouldn't get into trouble.

I watched as Meilin caught on and grabbed the strawberries to hurl at Touya.

Boy, this was going to be a long day!

Hey guys! Sorry I've got to end it here, but I'm sick and I've got homework to do, so I've got to get off now! Talk with you next update! Please review if you've got time!!!


	7. Cleaning Up and Screaming

HAPPY EASTER! Well, it's almost Easter…oh well, good enough! I have just gotten back from spring break, actually, today was my last day, and I was lazy the last few days (or away in Chicago to see Wicked (Wicked rocks!)) and I happened to be ill (again) but I've finally decided to update.

I'm not a fan of the authors who take months to update, but just look at me, I'm just as bad…when was the last time I updated MY OWN story?

Anyways, I won't have AS MUCH homework because I'll be learning about bullfighting in Spanish for the next week, and all of the week before last, so I'm actually kind of sick of it…but anyways, maybe I can get the next chapter up before the end of April. I've got some half-days next week and the week after too…YAY!

Chapter 7: Eyeballs

**Syaoran's P.O.V.**

Well that was interesting…I've never been in a food fight before…it was kind of fun actually, I got to throw food at Sakura, Meilin, and my sisters without getting in trouble. (AN: Oh! He called her SAKURA!)

I was too afraid to throw any at my mom, Mr. Kinomoto or Touya (tell him and you're dead!), but I hit Meilin with a piece of sausage, all of my sisters with some fruit or fruity juice/yogurt and I threw everything I could at Sakura.

And she threw everything she could back at me…

We all ended up laughing (except me, because I don't laugh) in a pile on the floor while the adults and Touya stood shocked against the walls. Touya was covered in food, but the other two were totally clean; I guess everybody else was too afraid to throw stuff at them too.

Sakura and I threw food till we couldn't find any more food. She actually scooped yogurt off her shirt to throw back at me!

It was kind of cute actually…

**Sakura's P.O.V.**

Oh My God! That was so much fun! I hit my evil sibling with more food than even Yukito could've eaten, just to put it into perspective. Meilin and I laughed about it on the way upstairs to take a bath…the Li sisters were going to start cleaning and Syaoran had already disappeared. (WHERE TO? I WONDER…)

Syaoran was actually nicer than I would've thought…my throwing that juice at Meilin, A.) would've put a damper on our relationship, and B.) would've gotten me in a whole bunch of trouble…trouble like you can't imagine, my dad CAN be really strict when he wants to be…and he definitely would've wanted to be.

I scrambled past Meilin over to Syaoran's door. May as well thank him for saving me while everybody is in a good mood right?

Not right.

He wasn't there.

Well, if he wanted to go for a hike now, all covered in whatnot, fine! He can attract all the bees and then I won't have to worry about them.

**Meilin's P.O.V.**

I couldn't believe it when Sakura threw that juice on me. I knew she didn't mean to…I knew perfectly well she meant to soak Syaoran. What is up with those two, I don't even think Syaoran did anything to her since…well…never!

What was even harder for me to grasp was why Syaoran had started a food fight to save her skinny ass…okay, so mine was smaller, but still…

I thought for a while, just grabbing a towel and my new clothes in my room I was sharing with Mrs. Li, that maybe they didn't hate one another. Maybe there was a small chance, like, extremely itty bitty teeny weenie tiny chance that maybe they could stand one another. I mean, they didn't even really TRY getting to know one another; they just automatically hated each other.

Well, maybe, MAYBE, Syaoran's glare had something to do with it, but it couldn't have been that bad!

I wonder who slept on the couch last night. Since Syaoran and Touya refused to share a room, one girl had to sleep on the couch last night. See Sakura is rooming with Fuutie, Touya's alone, Syaoran's alone, I'm with Mrs. Li, Mr. Fujitaka is alone in the attic room but it's tiny so I guess that's fine, Fanran and Feimie are together…I guess Sheifa slept on the couch…poor thing. You know…if Sakura and I end up good friends, maybe I could switch my room to be rooming with her and Fuutie can stay with her mom.

I like Sakura, she's so cute. She's just as cute as Tomoyo said she'd be.

Tomoyo and I had met at one of her mother's meetings in China. We hadn't gotten along until we were lost in the dark and couldn't find our way out. We were really young, in case you hadn't guessed. The dark isn't something either of us necessarily liked then. I hear she loves this guy who's in England. I wanted her to come, but she emailed me to tell me she wouldn't be coming. It's too bad really; I guess Sakura and she are really close too.

But Syaoran, goodness, did he let Sakura see a side of him! More than one actually! The only sides I thought she'd get to see were his grumpy, pissed (they are indeed different), and tired side, I never thought she'd witness his thoughtful or fun-loving sides…he only trusted those sides to me just a few years back! What makes her so special?

He must secretly like her or something! Oh, how CUTE! I'm going to get them together, with or without Tomoyo's help. That's why we talked Mr. Fujitaka and Mrs. Li into coming! I knew they'd be perfect together, she knew they'd be perfect together…we were RIGHT! (Of course!)

**Syaoran's P.O.V.**

I hate baths! Just like I hate bubbles.

**Sakura's P.O.V.**

I love baths! I love bubbles too…I even like saying 'bubbles' just to say it for Pete's sake!

Oh yeah…Who's Pete, anyways?

In England, I've heard there's a saying…'happy as Larry', but who the hell is Larry? Why do we use these names when we don't even know who they are…and nobody every thinks about it either!

I ran across the hall to Meilin's room and knocked before pulling the door open a tad.

She wasn't there.

Where WAS everybody?

I figured maybe she'd already gone to the bath so I headed down the hall to the stairs and out the front door. The bath wasn't even in the house, you had to walk down this side path until you came to the bath house and then of course it was just like a big bathroom, not an actual bathhouse. I never bathhouses, so I guess this is fine. The bath was just big enough for two guys or three girls and I was planning to scrub Meilin's back.

I locked the door behind me, pulled my clothes off, showered quick and opened the door to the bath…to find it was occupied.

By Syaoran.

Who, by the way, was buck-naked in the tub.

So what did I do?

I screamed of course!

**Syaoran's P.O.V.**

The soap slipped through my fingers and slid away into the water.

Who the hell had just screamed?...Oh shit……NOT HER! Please be anyone but her!

I swiveled around slowly, almost hearing the creaking of hinges as if I were a door swinging open and closed, and came face to face, okay not quite, but I did see Sakura, standing there, wrapped in her towel, just looking innocently like a five year old who found that their favorite ice cream was missing from the freezer. Well I certainly wasn't missing…so what the hell was she doing.

"You know, if you don't stop staring, and actually blink, your eye balls will dry up, fall out, and roll over here and then they'll end up seeing me up close…we don't want that, now do we?"

She blinked once.

Twice.

Thrice. (I always wanted to use that word!)

And screamed again.

Well…welcome to paradise!

Hey! Did you notice, did you notice? They're referring to each other by name! YAY! HIP HIP HOORAY! JOY TO THE WORLD! Yeah…I guess it's kind of sad that the only dialogue in here is Syaoran's sentence in the very end. Oh well, I'll try to add in more for the next chapter.

SyaoranFan001


	8. Enter Tomoyo and Eriol!

Well, look at this! I've officially updated in just three days! I wasn't expecting to have so little homework. I actually had math, history, English, and Spanish homework today, but I did it all in my 30 minute study hall, so now I've got nothing to do.

My parents are surprised that I've gotten 44 reviews, but I told them that that isn't a whole bunch…They didn't care. Oh well, what do they know? They think Sanjaya, on American Idol, has improved some…I still think he sucks. I don't care what anybody says, American Idol is just a popularity contest. It's all about looks and sexiness (which are totally different, for those of you who would argue it!). You could have no skill and get in.

Actually, one of the girls who was originally picked was from my hometown here, but her family was taking donations and she got disqualified before she even got to sing. Oh well, whatever…

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CHAPTER 8: Enter Tomoyo and Eriol!

**Syaoran's P.O.V.**

Have you ever seen anyone who you totally hate, and who totally hates you, naked? Okay, so she wasn't all naked, she was in a towel, but still…ALMOST naked counts, doesn't it?

She just stood there, like _I_ was the pervert. _She_ was the one who walked in on me in MY bath, and she thinks _I'm_ the pervert. I knew she was an idiot, but this is going way beyond normal.

"I know I'm sexy and all," I said in an almost serious voice, "but you're not really my type. Besides, what can you even see from way over there? I can't see you…there's way to much steam. What'd you do, turn the water to the hottest it'd go? My god, didn't it burn your skin?"

It was a lie. I could see every inch of her revealed skin…but if she knew that she'd KILL me, so I figured I'd be safest if I just kept quiet. From what I could see, she wasn't too bad looking…but not hot, definitely not hot. I like women with an ACTUAL bust-line, believe it or not.

If I told you I didn't mind her that much would you totally freak?

Well don't worry, I'm not about to say anything of the sort!

**Sakura's P.O.V.**

He's in the bathtub.

He's naked in the bathtub. As in, he's not wearing anything.

And I'm in just my towel.

I'm in just my extremely small towel that barely covers everything that need be covered.

And he was staring.

Okay, so he only glanced, but still, he LOOKED! That's got to mean he's a pervert.

Yeah, I walked in on his bath, but why didn't he have the door locked? He SHOULD have had it locked. Who doesn't lock the door when they bathe?…Unless he forgot…But who the hell forgets?…What's wrong with him?

**Meilin's P.O.V.**

Oh my goodness! I totally didn't mean for Sakura to walk in on Syaoran in the bath. I didn't even know that he was IN the bath. Honestly.

Okay, so I knew he was heading that way, but I didn't know he'd get there before us. He was always a clean freak; he washed his hands ALL the time, but GOD! He must've sprinted to get here so damn fast!

I sneaked up behind Sakura and grabbed her around the waist in a huge hug.

"Sakura, what're you doing, if you don't get in, you'll catch a cold! Here, I'll come with and then we can scrub each other's backs! Go on, go on, I'm just going to grab a bar of soap, okay?"

"Go," I said again, when she refused to move. She just looked at me like I was stupid. I was still in my clothes, so I didn't mind walking around in front of Syaoran, but I acted like he wasn't there, it was part of my slapstick plan. I knew he wouldn't look anyways. He's got to be the most polite teenage guy I've ever met…ever heard of even!

"Meilin-the tub's occupied-it's-it's occupied. He's in there."

I played dumb.

"Who's in there? Sakura, nobody's in there. See? There's not one person – Oh! Xiao Lang, what ARE you doing in the bathtub?"

I could tell right away when he looked at me that he knew I was playing Sakura, but I just looked back at him and acted innocent.

Syaoran grabbed a towel from next to the tub and told us to turn around.

Sakura, still the blubbering idiot stuck in one spot, didn't move, so I grabbed her and turned her around.

"Sakura, he's getting out, obviously! Don't look; you don't want to see…that…it's not pretty."

She must've turned the brightest red I'd ever even seen. Redder than that red font color on Microsoft Word. The one that looks like stereotypical blood, but it's actually lighter than that…I like red. It's my favorite actually, but I also like white. White, red and black go really well together and my hairs long and black, so it works out well with white and red! I'm so lucky…

Brought back to reality when I heard Sakura gasp, I looked back over at her to see her even more red and with her hair all messed up.

She'd seen another side of Syaoran and I hadn't even been able to see what side it'd been! He's almost too open with her.

**Syaoran's P.O.V.**

I ruffled her hair when I walked past her, just to see her face go red. It was really funny; she looked like the juice that gets all over when you smash a raspberry.

**Sakura's P.O.V. **

I'm never taking a bath without looking first ever again!

I really, really hope that Touya doesn't find out. If I explained it, my dad would understand, but Touya would straight away kill Syaoran, and if he ended up killed then I wouldn't have anyone to drive me to the concert tomorrow night!

Okay, so I haven't asked him to drive me yet, but I will, soon – eventually – probably - maybe…okay, maybe I should just walk!

I mean, how far away can it be?

**Later (after dinner)**

**Sakura's P.O.V.**

I asked him to drive me to the concert tomorrow.

I begged, and the bastard still said no!

I asked why, because when I asked him to take me there he got this freaked-out face and I wanted to know if maybe he was planning to go. I figured that if he was planning to go and then he knew I wanted to go but didn't have a ride and if he refused to take me that I wouldn't come!

Screw him, I'm going!

I'll walk all day if I have to, but I am GOING to that concert, even if it sucks, maybe I'll meet somebody! Can't hurt to look and scout somebody out! There has to be SOMEONE cute on this godforsaken beach!

**Tomoyo's P.O.V.**

Finally! That idiot finally decided to leave me a message!

I told him to hand Sakura a flyer. I didn't care if he had to pretend to save her from drowning, but he was to get her that flyer that said when and where that concert was. She was always into musicians, so Syaoran should be perfect for her. If only I would've known that the hired idiot would get lucky with some girl and totally forget to call me, I totally wouldn't have paid him to do this! He doesn't deserve anything! I sat around all day, moping, waiting for him to say that the plan was a success, because without it, there wouldn't be a Sakura and Syaoran. That would be heartbreaking! Really!

Eriol wasn't really sick. He was in on this too. And so was Hideki. It was actually a really big plan. Eriol and I had agreed years ago that Syaoran and Sakura would be perfect for one another…but that was before Syaoran turned "mega-goth".

Okay, so he wasn't gothic, but he painted his nails black and wore eyeliner for shows and he liked black and converse…I just associated those things with gothic.

Maybe I shouldn't stereotype people so much. He's really polite, even with the black nails and black clothes and converse and all that…he's actually really sweet, if you can manage to show him some amount of loyalty. He's been betrayed at school, so I guess I can understand his weariness of trusting people right off the bat. Oh well, what can you do?

I ran up the stairs, and aren't you proud? I only tripped once. Eriol's room was the third on the right and I burst through the door at top speed to tell him the great news – and to complain about that incompetent bastard I'd hired to help me.

He wasn't there. What was it with him? One minute he was there and the next minute he was gone.

**Eriol's P.O.V.**

I heard her shout in glee and trample up the stairs. I winced when I heard an exceptionally loud "thunk" and knew she'd tripped in her fancy flip-flops.

I laughed quietly and headed towards the door.

She came bursting into the room with so much force that if I'd been within reach of the door when it flung open, it probably would've left a dent in the wall in the shape of my own body. She stopped dead and glanced around, curious.

God, she was so cute.

I snuck up behind her and pulled her hair just lightly enough to make her look to her left. I moved to her right. I pulled her hair on that side just as softly. She looked again, and I moved to the left. I pulled her hair harder this time and she whipped around to look at me with her gorgeous lilac-colored eyes and I stood stupefied in place. She didn't seem surprised; I was always doing things like this.

She giggled and leaned back just enough to pull the ends of her curls from between my fingers. I let them fall easily and grabbed her face gently to tilt her face over to her left. She let me lead her head just as easily as I had teased her a moment before – with no chance of regret.

I watched the smile grow on her face like a flower blooming from a tiny bud to a beautiful blossom…that stunning smile that had hypnotized me for a month now. I never would figure out why.

**Syaoran's P.O.V.**

Meilin came to my room a while ago, just to talk, she said, but I knew she was upset about something.

Turns out Hideki hadn't called today. She wanted a call everyday. It was actually pretty pathetic. Feh, women! can't be happy with anything. I knew where Hideki was, but that was a secret; if I told her, I'd be killed, honestly. Trust me, Hideki would do it, and he'd do it brutally.

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I'm sorry, but my mom's nagging me to get off the computer and go to bed since I've got school tomorrow, so I hope you liked it and I'll update ASAP! Honestly!

SyaoranFan001


	9. Carrying and Caring For

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It's Tuesday! I shouldn't be home now, but I feel terrible. I had strep throat in March, then again in April, and I'm sure I've got it back again now in May. And I thought I was done when I had my tonsils out in 2001.

I am totally bored. So bored that I read a 500 page book, colored this sweet picture, watched an hour of TV, ate oyster crackers and drank PowerAde, and I'm still bored!So I decided to update!

One of my reviews for the last chapter asked why I always wrote something in the beginning of my chapters. I said I didn't know why, but I didn't think it was a big deal. So here's the question (let's see how many readers actually read the author's notes) Why do we write in the beginning of the chapters? And is it really safe to do so?

Let's see what answers we get.

Chapter 9: Carrying and Caring For

**

* * *

Syaoran's P.O.V.**

Sakura wanted me to take her to the concert tomorrow. I told her no.

What did you expect me to do, say "sure, I'm playing in it and I'd love for you to see me in eyeliner and all, singing my heart out on stage"?

What world do you live in?

I'm not about to give her something to blackmail me with. What do you think I am, stupid? I'd have to be insane to give her that kind of stuff.

**

* * *

Sakura's P.O.V.**

I called the place that the party's going to be at, and asked directions. It's only a ten-minute walk down the beach. I'll be fine.

**

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Syaoran's P.O.V.**

I know it wasn't nice, but I called the restaurant/stage/whatever and told them that if a girl calls asking for directions from this place to there, they're just supposed to tell her that it's a ten-minute walk down the beach. I know, I know. It's really terrible, but what else am I supposed to do? She's going to go, and I know she's going to call them, so I had to; it was a matter of life or death!

**

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Later (Sakura's just started out)****

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Sakura's P.O.V.**

This isn't bad at all…at this rate I should be there in no time and then that bastard Syaoran will realize that he can't keep me from what I want!

**

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10 Minutes Later****

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Sakura's P.O.V.**

Didn't the guy on the phone say it was just a ten-minute walk? Maybe it's just a little further up ahead. If I haven't found it in the next 10 minutes I'll turn around.

**

* * *

Syaoran's P.O.V.**

She isn't here. Perfect. Now to get started on my ………(drum roll please)……… NON-ALCOHOLIC STRAWBERRY MARGARITA! YAY! STRAWBERRIES RULE THE WORLD!

**

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Sakura's P.O.V.**

There is no way that those were the right directions. There isn't even anybody here.

"Dang it! Why did this have to happen, everything was going fine!?"

**

* * *

Narrator's P.O.V.**

Sakura gasped as her foot sunk into the sand and she fell quickly and painfully to the ground.

Not only was her ankle sprained terribly, too terribly to walk in fact, but she'd eaten sand, gotten sand in her eyes, accidentally snorted sand, AND she was all alone.

Meanwhile, Syaoran and his band had just finished their last song (obviously some time had passed) and were packing up. Syaoran was joyously sipping his non -alcoholic strawberry margarita when a though struck him.

**

* * *

Syaoran's P.O.V.**

Oh, shit! I totally wasn't thinking! Sakura's out in the dark on a beach alone! Shit, what if something happens to her? What if she's raped? Or murdered? Or kidnapped-ah- girlnapped! Not only would I fell terrible, but her brother would – no! Don't think about it Syaoran, just go look for her and everything will be fine. Find her and take her home and apologize. No, don't apologize. Apologizing is a weakness like no other.

**

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Narrator's P.O.V**

Syaoran scrambled around like a maniac looking for Sakura. He searched everywhere.

Finally, when he was about to return to the house to get help, he tripped over what he assumed to be a tree root, but was soon discovered to be a body.

Syaoran's scream was heard worldwide.

"Holy SHIT! What the hell! A body! A body! A woman's body! A small woman's- hey wait! Sakura! Sakura, you're alive, thank god! Sakura! Sakura? SAKURA!!" Syaoran was nearly in tears. To this day no one knows whether he was just scared shitless or if he was happy to have found Sakura. Who really cares?

**

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Sakura's P.O.V.**

"Syaoran, you idiot, I'm going to kill you! Stop screaming and help me up for heaven's sake! I can't walk, I twisted my ankle," I mumbled.

I was totally taken aback when I felt him actually help me up. And the amazement didn't stop there. He decided that just helping me along wasn't enough. He must've felt terrible, because he decided to give me a piggy-back ride instead.

His back was warm and I could feel his heart beating rapidly within him. He was scared. Syaoran Li was scared for me. I was so relieved that I couldn't help it, I just fell asleep right there.

**

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Syaoran's P.O.V.**

"Sakura…I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen, honest! I just…didn't want you at the party because…well, see, … I'm in a band, that's part of why I dress like this,… and my band had a gig there tonight. Actually, the party WAS our gig, but anyways…I figured you'd blackmail me if I let you come, I mean…we're not the best friends in the world…so…I told the guy who answers the phone to give you the wrong directions so you couldn't come. So…I guess…I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."

I looked back at her, feeling the guiltiest I'd ever felt in the entirety of my life only to find her fast asleep.

And the scariest part?

She's kind of cute.

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Hi! I'm tired and hungry (and borderline diabetic - not a good combination) and my contact is giving me trouble, so I'm going to let you go now, but please review, I'd totally love it! Thanks!

SyaoranFan001


	10. Crumpled Clothes, Acting, and Steve

Well, it's nearly the end of the school year and I'm getting suffocated by the mass amounts of homework. We just finished an English report on a job that we're interested in! I'm lucky! I'm one of about 30 percent of my class of 250 that got their job. I was so nervous at my interview and it wasn't even real. But, hey, at least I was prepared. I wanted to be a violinist. How exciting!

I'm bored out of my mind right now and I can't get onto to read stories so I decided it would be best if I wrote mine (like I'm supposed to anyways). I hope it goes well. At least this time I remember where I left off at the last chapter, not that I know what chapter number it was or what it was named. Don't tell anyone!

Okay, I'm going to dedicate this chapter to a reviewer. RUKZ has reviewed first for almost all of my chapters and we actually have the ability to hold normal conversations. I think she was also the first reviewer to tell me that I needed to work on something, wwwaaayyy back in the first chapter. Really, guys, you CAN tell me to work on stuff! Love you all! (Especially RUKZ) SyaoranFan001

Chapter 10: Crumpled Clothes, Acting, and Steve

**Syaoran's P.O.V.**

Morning came sooner than it should have. Not that I was sleeping well or anything. I hadn't gotten a wink of sleep, I felt so bad about Sakura's getting hurt and all. She's fine with it, she's not mad at me or anything-I don't think…I hope not…I don't know…never mind, she is probably totally pissed at me. I bet she'll eat me!

When we got back last night, it was kind of late, but Touya was up because he was afraid for Sakura when he found out that she and I had both headed off somewhere with no parental supervision. Seriously, I'm so glad that he will never be related to me…I don't think I could stand that. (AN: . )

I spent the whole night next to Sakura's bed. I didn't sleep a bunch, but she took some medicine that made her fall asleep in my arms before I could even get her up the stairs. Everyone but Touya was asleep when we arrived and luckily he was pretty quiet. He threatened and all but he was self-conscious so as not to wake anyone. Thank God for that!

Sakura's really funny in her sleep. She makes all these really cute noises and stuff. Like little sniffs and miniature snores and all. They're adorable, really, but I still totally wish that I could blackmail her with this. However, I'm not that cruel, I wouldn't do that to-never mind, yeah, I would! Okay, so maybe I'm being too dramatic, but still, I'm sure that if I hadn't been the reason she was in bed with that swollen ankle, I would be blackmailing her right about now.

I looked on her nightstand and found this slip of paper stuck near her phone. She had all these numbers on it, and these funny abbreviations to tell her whose number it was and what phone of theirs it called. Like "TMYO HM…TMYO CL…ERL HM…ERL CL…" Wait, that's Eriol's home phone number. And his cell number too. And come to think of it, isn't that Daidouji's number? Why does Sakura have these numbers? Wait…Daidouji's mom was related to Sakura's mom, who knew my mom, who knew Eriol's mom, who…oh my god, we're all oddly connected, or something!

Then that time my mom keeps telling me about when Nadeshiko's daughter came to visit and she and I blew up pine cones and army men in the sand box…that girl was Sakura…oh, shit, I hope she doesn't know. I was a very…um…stupid child.

But if you didn't know, pine cones blow up really nicely. All that you have to do is stick some dynamite into the spaces of a pine cone and light it up! They burn just as nicely, in like, a fire or something. And the army men are fun to blow up because they seem really…military…and stuff. And little plastic dinosaurs and sandbox toys (Mom was mad at me for that one!), and sand, and…and…yeah…I'm an idiot.

**Sakura's P.O.V.**

I'm a genius; I know…! I'm awake. I've been awake for, like, an hour. And I refuse to talk to Syaoran, so I'm pretending to be asleep so I won't have to!

I peeked carefully between my eyelids; peering as well as I could through my eyelashes. It's not easy, so don't laugh at the fact that I probably look really, really dumb right now!

Syaoran was still there, of course, looking at me. I made a few noises that I know I must make in my sleep so that he would think I was deeply asleep still. I need him to leave, because I'm hungry. I can't eat in front of him, it freaks me out. He smiled and looked away to my nightstand. I didn't really care, because all the personal stuff on the thing was a piece of paper with some phone numbers on it. He wouldn't know any of them.

Come on, doesn't this guy ever need to move? I mean, his ass has been glued to that chair for hours! Doesn't he ever need to pee or anything? EWW! Bad picture, sorry.

He looked back at me and sighed. He looked so tired and cute.

No, not cute, just tired.

My stomach growled and he chuckled just enough to bring a smile to his flawless face. It was the first time I'd ever really seen him smile.

"You know, you're really bad at acting; it's not a career you should look into."

I growled deep in my throat and rolled over so he was looking at my back and humph-ed. He laughed again, louder this time, and I felt his hands on the side of my bed, pushing down.

I rolled a bit with the tilt of the bed and he grabbed my shoulders and rolled me the rest of the way over. My eyes popped open and I saw his eyes looking at me teasingly.

"How long have you been awake, Sleeping Beauty?"

I sat in silence for the longest time while I processed everything. He must've slept in that chair, because he was wearing last night's clothes. Suddenly I felt bad for pretending to be asleep.

I retaliated with the wittiest remark my pain-fogged mind could come up with, my ankle hurt so badly, "Sleeping Beauty, eh? So what are you, the wicked witch's sex slave?"

His eyes looked shocked for only a couple of seconds, and soon they were laughing, while the sides of his mouth twitched the slightest amount, trying to hide an oncoming smile. Suddenly he was serious and he looked at me long and hard, trying to discern something, but came back unpleased.

"I hoped that it wouldn't hurt you today," it was almost a whisper.

"I know one way to make it feel better…but I can't do it alone!"

He seemed confused, then sighed, glanced at the door and said, "I'll do whatever, but don't tell anyone else, I don't want them to know what happened, or that I carried you, or that I spent the night in here with you, or that the whole thing was my fault or that, or that…yeah…"

**Syaoran's P.O.V.**

I hate this woman. She is a conniving, presumptuous, angry, affectionate, beautiful devil. WHY?!

And she knows Eriol and Tomoyo!

Oh my God, she knows Eriol and Tomoyo!

I'm an idiot, a total idiot. I spaced out thinking about blowing up pinecones and army men! Argh!

I knew that she knew Eriol and Tomoyo, and still I asked, "Do you know Eriol and Tomoyo?" Real smart, Syaoran. No shit, Sherlock. Welcome aboard, Captain Obvious. (...Don't ask…)

"What do you mean, 'do I know Eriol and Tomoyo', of course I know Eriol and Tomoyo, and you know Eriol and Tomoyo, don't you? That's why you asked…well, too bad, they were my friends first!"

"Oh…OH…oh…oH! NO! NO! NO! NO! I never ever heard anyone talk about a Syaoran!"

I stared at her…and laughed.

"Did they talk about a Xiao Lang, maybe?" It makes sense that they would use that name in front of someone who didn't know me. Then when they were asked who it was, they could just say that it was some Chinese kid that they used to know, but had drifted away from when they turned, like, ten.

"YOU'RE XIAO LANG?? DUDE, I ALWAYS WONDERED WHAT HE LOOKED LIKE…especially since Tomoyo always said he was hot…but not hot, like, hot, but like, hott…with two T's. That doesn't make any sense to you, does it?"

I shook my head no.

She smiled and laughed. She went on to tell me this really longwinded story of how there was this guy, when they were in the seventh grade, who was an eighth grader, but home-schooled. His name was Steve, and he came to their school to play his drums in the talent show. All the girls thought that he was really hot, but they didn't want to just call him hot. Tomoyo, her other friends and herself decided to spell it with two T's, to make it different from the other girls'. So now, when something is really hot with one T, they can change it to just hott, with two T's. (AN: true story, only me and a friend named Darcy…and he really was named Steve…and he really was hott, with two T's! He isn't hott anymore…not even just hot…)

I realized that this girl…scratch that…young woman in front of me, actually had a life, didn't hate all men, and loved to hang out with her friends.

Now, what was that we were talking about to make her feel better? The thing that she couldn't do alone?

Alright!

That's it!

I love you!

Steve isn't hott anymore!

SyaoranFan001

REVIEW PLEASE!!!


	11. End

Hey guys, so here's the deal. I haven't had any interest in writing my fanfiction for almost a year; as most of you have probably noticed. Anyways, this is just a little letter to let you know that I most likely won't be updating any time soon. I stumbled upon a story the other day and thought, "GEE!! This story seems really familiar!!" Then as I checked my page, I realized that the story I had been reading was actually mine and that I didn't even remember having written it…so yeah, …I'm done writing for a while. Sorry to all of you who supported me, but I'm not really interested in Cardcaptor Sakura anymore…I've moved on to much better stories-RED RIVER for example- and I just want to write for these stories instead…even though I have nowhere to post them, since has no RED RIVER/ANATOLIA STORY section. Sorry again, but thanks for all the support through the years and I hope you'll add me as an AUTHOR ALERT and check out any other stories I may post for another series – who knows? you may fall in love with a different story!! Thanks again! PEACE OUT!!

Love Forever,

SyaoranFan001


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